The rest of the world welcomed the new year in a joyous mood whereas the East African country of Kenya had its own share of the new Year which was marred with deaths, buildings and churches being set a blaze. Machete bewildering youth braving themselves to fight armed police men. The explosion of violence in one of Africa’s most stable democracies and strongest economies is shocking to the world and left Kenyans aghast as long-simmering tribal rivalries pitch communities against each other. Leading local newspaper, the DailyNation, feared Kenya was on “the verge of a complete melt-down”.
[divide]
The Violence in Kenya, is bound to cause more harm to the entire Great Lakes Regions. Why? Because Kenya is the most viable land and sea gateway to the rest of the world for Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, southern Sudan and parts of eastern DR Congo. A blockage of the transport system therefore renders these economies incapacitated. Already Uganda has begun feeling the pitch from all this saga through increased fuel and product prices. This shows the importance of peace with in Kenya.
A naive and negligent decision made by the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) has claimed lives and you really wonder whether the families of those who have lost their lives will be compensated. Both parties in this quagmire need to call for restraint amongst their supporter or else this ethnic cleansing as some would like to call it will not stop. Politicians and their would be partners in crime need to be considerate to the Wanaichi, their rich families are in Fortified Gates with security beefed up as the poor who live in slums and ghettos suffer tearing up each other.
What is that, that corrupts African presidents that they don’t want to relinquish power to other people. As one person has put it “power in Kenya and in Africa as whole belongs to people who lack the wisdom”. They achieve their objectives at the expense of human life. The selfishness in African politics is comparable to non other than greed.
(Kigozi Michael)